Nagpur Riot Accused’s Wife Wins Nagpur Civic Seat
Alisha Khan defeats BJP candidate in Ward 3; AIMIM bags six seats in Nagpur Municipal Corporation.
GG News Bureau
Nagpur, 17th Jan: Alisha Khan (29), wife of a key accused in the 2025 Nagpur riots case, has won the civic election from Ward No. 3 in the Ashi Nagar zone of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation on an AIMIM ticket.
Alisha Khan defeated BJP candidate Bhagyashree Kanatode in a closely watched contest, marking a notable victory for the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in the city.
She is the wife of Fahim Khan, city chief of the Minority Democratic Party (MDP), who is one of the main accused in the Nagpur violence that erupted on March 17 last year. The clashes had followed rumours that a ‘chadar’ bearing religious inscriptions was burnt during a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) protest demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Fahim Khan was booked by Ganeshpeth police under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023), the Explosive Substances Act, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and the Arms Act. He is currently out on bail.
AIMIM performed strongly in Nagpur, winning six seats in the municipal corporation.
Former AIMIM Vidarbha president Shahid Rangoonwala claimed that Alisha Khan’s victory reflected public sympathy for her family.
“People had sympathy with Alisha Khan and Fahim Khan, whose house was razed unconstitutionally. Fahim Khan has been working among the people for a long time. Voters expressed their faith in Alisha and rejected the injustice meted out to him,” Rangoonwala said.
Political observers say the result highlights the continuing polarisation and identity-driven politics in Nagpur, especially in areas affected by last year’s violence.
While BJP did not officially comment on the loss, party leaders said they would analyse the outcome and strengthen their grassroots outreach ahead of future elections.
